Find Freediving Courses Near You - How to Locate a Certified Instructor

The fastest way to find a course: use the official agency tools. Every major certification agency maintains an online instructor and center directory.

Agency certification is a minimum standard — not a quality guarantee. A great instructor with any cert beats a mediocre instructor with a prestigious one.

Checklist

• Google and TripAdvisor reviews — look specifically for in-water session comments
• Student-to-instructor ratio during open water dives (more than 4:1 is too many)
• Instructor actively freedives themselves — not just teaches
• Rescue scenarios practiced in water, not just described in a classroom

If you're willing to travel for a serious course with ideal conditions:

Dahab, Egypt

the world's most visited freediving training destination — year-round warm water (22–27°C), excellent sites (Blue Hole and Canyon), multiple competing centers at competitive pricing

Panglao, Philippines (Bohol)

warm water, good visibility, several dedicated freediving centers, easily combined with island travel

Kalamata, Greece

significant depth available close to shore, Mediterranean climate, several AIDA-certified centers

Bali, Indonesia

growing freediving scene, warm water, multiple certified instructors

Florida, USA (Spring sites)

Blue Spring State Park and other inland springs — unusually clear fresh water, several instructors in the region

A standard beginner course (AIDA 2 / SSI Level 1):

Day 1 — Theory + Pool

• Freediving physiology
• Safety rules and buddy protocol
• Breathing technique
• Duck dive and descent position
• Pool session: static apnea and short dynamic laps

Day 2 — Pool + Open Water

• Equalization technique review
• Rescue breathing practice (in water)
• Pool session: dynamic apnea sets
• Open water dives: descents to 10–16m with line

After the course, you should be able to:

• Execute a clean duck dive
• Equalize to your target depth
• Perform recovery breathing correctly
• Execute buddy rescue breathing

You will not be at 20m comfortably by the end. The course gives you the foundation. Depth develops over the weeks and months after.